Frequently Asked Questions

Is CQPhone really free?

Yes. CQPhone is completely free for personal use. There is no spyware and no advertising. It does not connect to the public telephone system, so there will be no charges on your telephone bill. All those telephone sounds are just sound effects. If you wish to use CQPhone for commercial or business use, please contact douglas@cqphone.com

Can I make calls to any telephone number?

No. CQPhone does not connect to the public telephone system. It is used for computer-to-computer internet calls between users of CQPhone.

Can several people chat at once?

No. CQPhone is designed for one-to-one chat.

Are there any rules here?

Yes. Please do not post advertising, links, slogans, opinions or obscenities into the public chat list. Be nice. Please do not annoy or harass other people. If someone does not answer your call, don't keep repeatedly calling her. People who break these rules may be permanently banned from accessing the server. If someone is breaking these rules, please report them to abuse@cqphone.com

What about privacy?

CQPhone uses a direct peer-to-peer connection between the two computers engaged in a conversation. The voice, video and typing are not saved anywhere. Whenever CQPhone is running, your IP address is updated onto the central server a few times per hour. This server ensures your current IP address is available for the internal workings of the program. Your IP address is never shown to the public. Your CQPhone number is never disclosed to people you meet using the public chat list.

Is CQPhone suitable for children?

No. Children should not use this program alone because they might encounter weird strangers if they open the public chat list.

What is the difference between using the chat list and calling a CQPhone number?

Your CQPhone number is a private, permanent number assigned to your computer. Do not give this number to strangers because they will always be able to call you. The public chat list is designed for the purpose of meeting strangers. When chats are started from the chat list, the CQPhone number is not shown to either party.

Can I add my buddies to the chat list?

No. This is not a buddy list. It is a list designed for meeting strangers. This list shows people who currently have that list open, in random order. If you wish to chat only with your buddies, give them your CQPhone number so they can call you without using the public chat list. Add your buddies to your Redial List. Future versions may contain a true "buddy list" and several "rooms" for the public chat list.

Why is my name the only one on the chat list?

If you see only your name, you are the only person who currently has the list open. You can minimize the list and wait a while for new people to show up.

Nobody can call me.

If you can call other people but they cannot call you, you may have a firewall problem. Please refer to the chapter about firewalls in this help file.

Do I need a web cam?

The use of web cam is optional. If you don't have a web cam (or don't want to use it) you can still view your partners web cam.

My web cam does not work on here.

If you see yourself on the bottom panel, everything is working. If other people cannot see you, it is a firewall problem, not a web cam problem. If some other program is using your web cam, CQPhone will be unable to use the cam and you will not see yourself at all.

I hear an echo of my voice.

This echo happens because your partner's mic is hearing her speakers. Suggest your partner turn her speakers down and point the mic away from the speakers. Try to convince your partner to use a headset (or music headphone) instead of speakers.

The voice sometimes breaks up.

The use of two-way voice plus two-way video is a little too much for some dialup connections, especially if you are also sharing pictures, visiting web pages, downloading files and using other chat programs. Try muting the mic or closing the web cam to speed things up. Try typing instead of talking.

The voice sometimes goes completely dead.

Both parties should make sure there is not a red X muting the mic or speaker icons. Sometimes you may lose all audio when you plug in a headset or open the web cam. If you mute then unmute both mic and speaker icons, this will restore the audio.

The buttons and boxes are all messed up.

If the buttons and boxes appear in wrong locations, your screen is not set to the windows standard 96 dpi. Right click on the desktop> properties> settings> advanced> select "Normal Size 96 dpi".

When I try to start CQPhone, nothing happens.

If your computer is not connected to the internet, CQPhone will ignore your attempts to start it. Please dial-in first.

This program does not work properly.

If your CQPhone crashes or seems to have a problem, right-click the icon in your system tray (bottom right corner) and "Exit Program". Then restart the program using the Start> Programs> CQPhone or just click the desktop icon. Everything will get a fresh start. If your internet connection becomes disconnected, follow this same procedure once you have reconnected to the internet.